The Joy of Saturdays

Saturday is my favorite day of the week. No work that day or the next (hopefully). You awake with nothing but possibilities....and a hefty to-do list. But anything is possible on a Saturday. You could sleep all day if you chose to. You could work really hard on a variety of tasks and see things being accomplished. You can run errands....it's all do-able on that day of the week. And you still have one more day of no work. So Saturday is definitely my favorite day.

My decision to not go to the plant nursery over the Altamont was great one - not only did it save me money, but my hair stylist called and she could take me three hours earlier - which was great! So I enjoyed a wonderful hour plus getting my hair done. I had a 'treatment' - deep conditioning - and Paul Mitchell salons want your visit to be an 'experience'. So my treatment included a 30 minute scalp, neck, shoulder, arm and hand massage - so, SO relaxing. Their 'wash room' has a trickling water fountain and pretty, low-key music playing. You know how at some salons, getting your hair washed is torture? You lean back and your neck is on a hard, cold fixed surface? No matter how much they adjust the chair, you are just hugely uncomfortable and can't wait for the wash to be over? Well at Paul Mitchell salons, the wash basin has neck rests that 'give' - so if you move or your stylist moves your head, the neck support 'gives' with the movement. It's on a spring of some kind, I think. They cover it with a piping hot towel and it's heaven. Not a single minute of being uncomfortable and you just close your eyes and drift off under a sea of warmth and great smells and the joy of scalp massage. It's awesome! I love it - it feels so decadent.

I also was able to catch the tail end of our local farmer's market - got a bunch of fruit for $1 a pound - and some 'long beans' for $1 a bunch. I love the market and every time I go, I think 'I should do this every Saturday - just buy our vegetables and fruit at the market' vs. going to the grocery store. I'm just rarely that motivated on lazy Saturday mornings.....but I could be 'cuz the produce is delicious!

Next stop was Starbucks.....and the thing I love the most about our new store is that it has a 'bar' where you can sit - like a sushi bar, kind of - high stools. You sit and watch the barista prepare drinks. And I learned a lot yesterday. About two months ago, I ordered a light caramel frap with extra drizzle when I was going to WinCo to do a massive grocery shop. It was the best caramel frap I'd ever had - you'd take a sip through the straw and big glops of caramel would be included in each slurp - the thick, gooey, ice-cold caramel warming in your mouth and adding such a great 'punch' of flavor. So for the last two months, I've been ordering that exact same drink at various SB's - it is our Friday frappucino flavor that J. and I treat ourselves to on Fridays....but it's never been the same. And yesterday, I found out why. A lady had ordered one with extra drizzle - and the barista I watched yesterday covered the entire bottom of her cup with a thick layer of the drizzle. I asked him about it - and he said 'if you ask for extra drizzle, that's what we're supposed to do - cover the bottom'. I commented that I order those every Friday and had just ordered two yesterday and they weren't made that way - and he said 'they should be. Next time, tell them you want the drizzle to cover the bottom of the glass'. It looked so good that I got back in line and ordered a light version to go with the iced tea I'd previously ordered and was waiting for. OH MY GOODNESS - that's the difference! It was delicious and just like I remembered.

The other part of the equation that I didn't tell him is that the same barista who doesn't do that when I order extra drizzle is also the barista who when he's on the register charges me sixty cents extra for the drizzle he's NOT putting at the bottom of my glass. I end up getting that 'extra' credited back 'cuz my gold card gives me any add-ons for free - but still, it bugs me. So now I know how to make our Friday frapps perfect. Already looking forward to next Friday - and Fridays are always a great day 'cuz they come before Saturday!!

It was a quiet evening with me heading up to bed around 10ish. B. was with friends out and about. I didn't hear him arrive home and slept pretty well - and slept until 8AM which is very 'late' for me. I've washed all the produce, washed and chopped the long beans so they're ready for dinner tonight. Heading upstairs to get dressed for the day - and yes, one of my 'errands' is to stop in work for a bit and clean my desk. Work on year-end a bit more. It's a week of a lot of meetings and there's still a lot to do before the 31st - so I'll feel better (and sleep better tonight) if I just bite the bullet and go in for a couple of hours. So I tell myself, anyway.

J. and H. are already on their way home - should be here around 11ish. Only other plans on the list today is grocery shopping - something for Sunday dinner - I'm thinking in honor of Pioneer Woman's new show, I'll make chicken fried steaks and mashed taters!

Have a great Sunday - which in itself is a great day, too.....it's just that it precedes Monday and so it loses a lot in the translation.

Someday, every day will be a Saturday - and I can't wait for that to be my reality.